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Patented June 2, 1896 RAILWAY CARS.

H. H. SESSIONS. MENT AND BUFFER AND DRAFT RIGGING ANUREW EGRM'AMPHUIBQLITHO. WASH! NGYON 0 B 4 SheetsSheet 2.

SESSIONS. PLATFORM EQUIPMENT AND BUFFER AND DDAF T RIGGING FOR RAILWAYCARS.

Patented June 2, 1896.

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H. H. SESSIONS. PLATFORM EQUIPMENT AND BUFFER AND DRAFT RIGGING FORRAILWAY CARS.

: June 2, 1896.

& @4444 44 jflal'ivega UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. SESSIONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE STANDARDCOUPLER COMPANY,

OF NEY YORK, N. Y.

PLATFORM EQUIPMENT AND BUFFER AND DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,446, dated June 2,1896. Application filed August 26, 1895. Serial No. 560,541. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY H. SESSIONS, of Chicago, in the county ofCook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Platform Equipment. and Buffer and Draft Rigging forRailway Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying 1o drawings, forming a part of this specification,

and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improve ments in the construction andequipment of :5 railway-cars, more especially the platforms ofpassenger-cars, and the draft and bufiing equipment thereof; and it hasfor its objects, among others, to provide a strong and end uringstructure to support the platform and its equipment; to prevent saggingof the platform; to so construct and arrange the draft and bufiingequipment that the shocks incident to collision and hauling shall beborne in the plane of the platform and in a manner to protect the bodyof the car; to maintain the platform of the car in its integrity underall conditions of use; to insure the proper accommodation of the buffingplates or surfaces and cause them to automatically re- 0 snme their mosteffective positions at substantially right angles to the length of thecar-body after passing curves, and generally to improve the structure ofthe car, so as to prolong its life, increase its elliciency, and 3 5protect life in case of accident, all as hereinafter more fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view, partly insection, showing 0 the platform equipment at one end of the car, thesupporting brace-plate being omitted to disclose the underlyingstructure. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, the couplinghea-dbeing in elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail 5 view showing the supportingbrace-plate in position. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a portionof the through-beams serving as supports for the car-bod y, showing onemeans for securing the timbers to said beams. Fig. 5 is a transversesectional view through the equalizing-bar of the bulfing-rigging. Fig. 6

is a top plan view of platforn'i, showing the brace-plate and omittingthe bulling-rigging. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of thebuling-rigging as used in connection with a short coupler. Fig. 8 is a topplan view, and Fig. 9 a longitudinal sectional view, of the support forthe car-body and platform, the central section beingbroken away. Figs.10, 11, and 12 are transverse sectional views on lines .2" a 7 1 and z.2, respectively, of Fig. 8.

Similar letters and figures of reference in the several views indicatethe same parts.

The car-body A may be of any desired or approved construction, and asthe superstructure forms no part of the present invention it is omitted,only so much of the base being included as serves to indicate theconnection between it and the improvements hereinafter described.

At a suitable distance beyond each end of the car-bod y is located abuffer-bcam B, which latter is supported and rigidly connected to thecar-bod y as follows: Beneath each end of the car-body are secured aseries, preferably four, metallic beams 1, preferably I shape incross-section, although other approved forms may be employed. The twoinner beams 1 occupy a position longitudinally of and bebody, while theouter beams 1, preferably slightly less in depth than the inner beams,are located in planes intermediate the central sills n and the timbersb. All four beams extend beneath the car to a point beyond the secondcross-piece 2, which latter, together with the first cross-piece 8, iscomposed of two members, the upper one i sustaining the longitudinalsills of the car-body and resting. upon the tops of the beams 1, and thelower member 5 passing beneath the beams and having its ends curved orinclined upward to their junction with the upper member, as i11- dicatedin Fig. 1], where they are bolted together and to the car-body. Theupper sur- 5 faces or top flanges of the beam 1 may be recessed ordepressed for the reception of the upper member 1 of the cross-pieces,as indicated in Figs. 4 and 9, so as to permit the neath the two centralsills a a of the car- So I central sills to come flush with the top sur-Ioo face of the beams without mortising said sills, at the same timesecurely fastening the cross pieces in position upon the beams.

To insure the car-body against movement longitudinally upon the beams,projections 6, Fig. 4, may be formed upon or secured to the top surfaceof the beams in position to engage mortises in the sills, this being inaddition to the bolts or other fastening devices employed for securingthe body in position upon the beams.

The preferred construction contemplates the use of continuous beams 1,either made in one continuous piece or in sections properly securedtogether and to the cross-pieces 7, supporting the ear-bod y, as shownin Figs. 9 and 10, thus forming a rigid structure for the support of thecar-body and, as will presently appear, furnishing a solid metallicframe independent of the car-body proper to receive the bu fling andhauling strains. It is not essential, however, that the outer beams 1should extend much, if any, beyond the second cross piece 2, as the twoinner beams will suflice under ordinary circumstances to protect thecar.

The bu fer-beams B are secured to the outer ends of the beams 1 at asuitable distance from the end sills to furnish space for the platformand the buffing-rigging, and suitable wooden braces S, uniting thebuffer-beam and end sill, serve to brace the former and afford a basefor the attachment of the platform, as indicated in Fig. 5.

To still further reinforce the connection be-.

tween the car-bod y, bu fer-beam, and the longitudinal beams 1, and torender the platform more rigid, so that it will the better sustainshocks and be prevented from sagging, a brace-plate 5), provided withend flanges 9 is securely fastened, as by bolts or rivets, to the beams1 between the end sill and bufferbeam, the flange at one end engagingand being secured to the end sill and the opposite flange to thebuffer-beam. (See Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 7.)

The equipment heretofore described occupies, in effect, a positionintermediate the car-body and the running-gear, ample provision beingmade to securely hold the carbody in position and prevent its shifting.Moreover, the metallic beams running longitudinally of and beneath thecar-body and having the buffer-beams attached to the ends afford a basisfor the attachment of the buffer and draft rigging, thus relieving thecarbody from the direct influence of draft strains, the latter beingborne almost wholly by the beams 1 in the direction of their greateststrengththat is, longitudinally of said beams.

The next novel feature of improvement relates to the buffing-rigging andits equalizing mechanism.

Each end of the car is to be provided with a buffing-plate 10,constructed either as a separate element, as part of the foot-plate, oras part of the frame-plate commonly used in the construction ofvestibule-cars. As illustrated in the present instance, the buffer-platecarries the foot-plate 11 and forms part of the frame-plate of thevestibule.

The buffer-plate is arranged at right angles to the body of the car, andwhen two cars are coupled the buffer-plates are held firmly in contactunder yielding pressure, and the ar rangement is such as to permit thebufferplates to yield laterally at the ends to accommodate themselves tothe angular position assumed by the cars in turning curves, ((50. It isof considerable importance, however, that the buffer-plates should bebrought back into position parallel with the ends of the earsimmediately after passing a curve, and that they should at all timesoccupy a position as nearly parallel with the end of the car ascircumstances will permit, for if they should. occupy an angularposition at the time of a collision they would favor the slipping of theproximate ends of adjacent ears in opposite directions instead ofreceiving the shock squarely in the line of greatest resistance.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide a buifing-riggingwhich, while capable of yielding when the ears are deflected, as inpassing a curve, will automatically and promptly return the bufferplatesto their normal position parallel with the end of the car. To this endthe buffer-plate 10 is pivotally attached at or near each end to one ofa pair of rods 12, passing through the bufferbeam B, each of said rodsbeing pivotally connected at its inner end to one arm of anequalizing-bar 13. This equalizingbar is supported at each end in aguideway 14, secured upon one of the outer beams 1 and provided withabutments 15 to limit the movement of said equalizing-bar, and at apoint midway between but somewhat in advance of a line connecting thepivots of bars 19 it is pivotally connected, as by a bolt 11;, to a head17, between which latter and a socket or plate 18, resting against abacking-block on the end sill of the car-body, is interposed a spring21, preferably a duplex helical spring such as shown, tending to pressand hold forward the head 17 with its attached equaliz ing-bar 13.

The front face of the head 17 in contact with the rear of theequalizing-bar is curved or rounded to permit said bar to turn upon itspivot 16 and thus permit either end of the buffing-plate to yield towardthe bu fer-beam at the same time projecting the opposite en d of thebuffer-plate an equal extent and thus preserving intimacy and equalityof contact with the opposing buffer-plate.

In front of the equalizing-bar, with its outer end bearing centrallyupon the bu fer-plate, is a plunger 19, passing through the bufferbeamand having its head in con tact with the equalizing-bar in front of thepivot 16. The head of this plunger 19 engages the equalizing-bar atequal distances on opposite sides of the pivot 16, so that when pressureis applied to said plunger 19 it will have a tendency to swing theequalizing-bar around and hold it substantially parallel with the endsill of the car and the buffer-plate. This pressure is supplied normallyby a spring 25, in-

.terposed between the head of the plunger and a plate or socket 26,secured to the inner face of the buffer-beam.

When the car is uncoupled and standing alone, the spring 21, by reasonof its superior power, forces the equalizing-bar forward to the extremeof its movement, slightly compressing spring 25 and projecting thebufferplate squarely beyond the face of the bufferbeam. Upon bringingtwo cars together, as when coupling, the buffer-plates are forced backand springs 21 placed under compression, the equalizing-bars andplungers accompanying the buffer-plates in their rearward movement. Inturning a curve one end of the buffer-plate will necessarily be forcedtoward the buffer-beam and the opposite end correspondingly projected asthe equalizingbar is swung upon its pivot, while at the same time thepressure of spring 25, transmitted through the head of the plungerinstead of being exerted equally on opposite sides of pivot 16, will nowbe transferred wholly to one side of the pivot-the side,opposed to thatupon which the pressure which caused the deflection of the buffer-platewas exertedso that when the cars are again brought into line and thedeflecting pressure is relieved the butter-plate will be automaticallyswung around into position at right angles to the car.

The act-ion of spring 25 in effecting the return of the equalizing-barand buifer-plate when the cars are coupled is supplemental to the morepowerful action of the buffer-spring 21, which latter, as the cars arecoupled, is driven back by pressure transmitted through plunger 10, sothat the equalizing-bar is pinched, as it were, between the head of theplunger and the pivotal support upon which the buffer-spring acts.Consequently when the equalizing-bar yields,- as in turning a curve, ittilts on the head of the plunger and still further compresses thebuffer-spring, the fulcrum on which the equalizing-bar turns standingslightly to one side of the pivot 16, upon which the buffer-spring isoperating. Hence the pressure of said spring is exerted in opposition tothe pressure which causes the lateral displacement of the equalizing-barand tends to restore the latter to its normal position.

To prevent binding and provide for freedom of motion, the inner end ofone or both rods 12 is or are provided with a loose connection, such asis produced by forming an elongated slot or slots in the end of bar 12for the reception of the pivot-pin, indicated in Fig. 1.

For convenience and economy of construction the equalizing-bar is formedin two sections, the lower section being the longer and having its endsengaging the guideways 14,

while the upper and shorter section is held removed from the lowersection by spaceblocks 27, thus forming a slot for the reception of theflattened body of head 17.

The pivot-pins connecting rods 12 to the equalizing bar are preferablyarranged slightly in rear of the pivot 16, which connects it with thehead 17, in order that as the equalizing-bar is swung by pressureapplied to one end of the buffer-plate the leverage on the opposite endof the equalizing-bar will be increased, thus aiding in returning thebuffer plate to position as the train straightens out. It will beobserved of this structure that the thrust in coupling and in the caseof collision is borne squarely by the buffer-plate, and the pressure orshock is transmitted to the equalizing-bar through bars 12 and plunger19 first operating to compress spring 21, and if the pressure issufficient to entirely overcome the resistance of said spring theequalizing-bar will be seated and supported at three points-i. e., ateach end, where it contacts with the abutments on the guides or Ways,and at the center in line with plunger 19 when head 17 contacts with theend of the spring-casing 18.

As hereinbefore stated, one of the principal objects of this part of theinvention is to automatically effect the return of the bull'- ing-plateto normal position substantially parallel with the front sill afterhaving been deflected, as in turning a curve, and this object isattained by the construction described, wherein is embodied means forpositively acting upon the equalizing-bar to force the latter and theconnected bu tfer plate back to normal position.

Any approved form of automatic coupler may be employed in conjunctionwith the buffer-rigging described, and in the drawings there have beenillustrated two equivalent modes of applying long and short barcouplers.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 5, illustrating the longbar-coupler, 30 and 31 designate the guides for the coupler bar or shanksecured to the under sides of the two inner or through metallic beams 1,and 32 are plates attached to said beams 1, which plates, in conjunctionwith recesses in said beams, furnish slots or ways for the reception ofthe cross-bars 33, extending transversely through the spring-casing 3iat opposite ends of the coupler-spring 35. The upturned ends orprojections 36 on plates 32 enter and engage notches or recesses cut inthe flanges of the beams 1, thereby preventing longitudinal movement ofthe plates upon the beams.

The construction illustrated in Fig. 7 is similar to the foregoing, butadapted to the short coupler, hence omits the guide 30 in which the baror shank of the long coupler is sustained. v

It is to be noted that the buifing and draft IIO (coupler) riggings areboth connected to and sustained by the metallic beams 1, projectin gbeyond the car-body, and that the buflin g and draft strains aretransmitted from one car to another through the beams 1, rendering thecar less liable to destruction in the event of collision.

The term ear-body as herein employed embraces the sides, ends, roof, (ifany,) floor,

and floor timbers, including the sills, and the term substructure of thecar-body is designed to include the base or supporting substructure,comprising the sills and supporting timbers upon which the sides, ends,and flooring are mounted and secured.

The metallic beams 1 do not form a part of the car-body, but merely asupport for the latter and a means for sustaining the draft and buiferrigging. In other words, said metallic beams constitute theconnecting-link between the bufienbeams, draft and buifer rigging andthe car-body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Thecombination with the base or substructure of an integral ear-body, ofthe metallic beams 1. rigidly secured to and beneath the car-body andextending beyond the ends of the latter, and the buffer-beams secured tosaid beams 1; substantially as described.

2. The combination with the base or substructure of a ear-body, of aseries of metallic beams extending longitudinally of and beneath thecar-body, said beams extending beyond the ends of the carbody, to formplatform-su iiports; fastenings rigidly securing the car-body to thelongitudinal beams; the buffer-beams secured to the said longitudinalbeams; and the draft and buffer rigging also attached to saidlongitudinal beams; substantially as described.

3. The combination, to form a support for the ear-body, and a basis forthe attachment of the draft and buffer rigging of the followingelements, to wit: the parallel metallic beams 1 provided with horizontalflanges and rigid cross-pieces for the support and attachment of anintegral car-body; the buiferbeams secured to the ends of said metallicbeams beyond the ends of the car-bod y; and the brace-plate withvertical flanges, said brace-plate resting horizontally above themetallic beams 1 between the buffer-beam and the end sill of thecar-body, substantially as described.

4. The combination, to form a support for an integral car-body and abasis for the attachment of draft and buffer rigging, of the followingelements, to wit: a series of parallel metallic beams extendinglongitudinally beneath and projecting beyond the end. of the car-body; aseries of cross-pieces rigidly attached to and extending laterally ofsaid beams, each of said cross-pieces constructed in two sectionsembracing the beams; and the bufier and draft rigging secured to saidlongitudinal beams beyond the end of the carbody, substantially asdescribed.

by cross-pieces 2 and 3, extending laterally beneath the car-body, thewhole rigidly united and secured together; the bufier-beam secured tothe beams 1 beyond the end sill of the car-body; and the horizontalbrace-plate secured to beams 1 intermediate the buflfer-.

beam and end sill and provided with vertical -fianges engaging saidbufier-beam and end sill; substantially as described.

6. The combination to form an automatically-adjusting bufliug-rigging ofthe following elements, to wit: an equalizing-bar pivotally attached toa yielding support and adapted to swing in a horizontal plane; abuffer-plate; connections between the arms of the equalizing-bar and thebufier-plate on opposite sides of the pivot sustaining saidequalizing-bar, so that the latter and the buiferplate will be held insubstantially parallel planes; and mechanism acting upon theequalizing-bar and through the latter upon the buffer-plate to restoresaid parts to normal position, that is transverse to the car, afterhaving been deflected, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the bulfer-beam, its support and thebuffer-plate; an equalizingbar having its arms connected to thebufferplate on opposite sides of the center; guides or ways for theequalizing-bar; a pivotal support for the equalizing-bar intermediatethe points of connection with the buffer-plate; a spring engaging saidpivotal support in rear of the equalizing-bar; and a spring-pressedplunger interposed between the buffer-plate and the equalizing-bar andengaging the latter on opposite sides of its center of oscillation;substantially as described.

8. The combination with the buffer-beam audits support; thebuffcr-plate;apivotallysupported equalizing-bar; rods pivotally couneeted at oppositeends to the equalizing-bar and buffer-plate respectively; a springengagin g the pivotal support for the equalizing-bar in rear of thelatter; a plunger interposed between the bufier-plate and theequalizing-bar in line with the pivot of the latter, said plungerpassing through a guide-opening in the buffer-beam and engaging theequalizing-bar on opposite sides of the pivot; anda spring interposedbetween the buffer-beam and plunger for holding the latter in contactwith the equalizing-bar; substantially as described.

9. In combination with the ear-body, the bufier-beam and the beams 1supporting the buffer-beam; the bufferplate; a pivoted equalizing-bar;guides or ways on the beams receiving the ends of the equalizing-bar; ahead to which the equalizing-bar is pivoted at a point intermediate theconnections with IIO the buffer-plate; a spring interposed between saidpivot-head and a socket attached to the end sill; a plunger interposedbetween the buifer-plate and the equalizing-bar and engaging the latterin advance of its pivot; and a spring engaging said plunger to hold itin contact with the equalizing-bar; substantially as and for the purposespecified.

10. The combination with the buffer-plate and its supporting-rods, of anequalizing-bar pivotally supported byavertical pivot located at a pointintermediate and slightly in front of the points or pivots connectingsaid supporting-rods to said equalizing-bar; substantially as described.

11. The combination of the buffer-plate, the centrally-pivotedequalizing-bar arranged to oscillate in a horizontal plane, the rodsconnecting opposite ends of the buffer-plate to the arms of theequalizing-bar at points in rear of its central pivot, and aspring-pressed plunger interposed between the buffer-plate andequalizing-bar and engaging the latter; substantially as described.

12. In combination with the substructure of the car-body, thelongitudinal supportingbeams to which the car-body is rigidly sec urcd,said beams extending beneath and beyond the ends of the car-body; thebuffer-beam se cured to said extensions of the supportingbeams; thebrace-plate secured to the longitudinal supporting-beams between the endsill of the car body and the bulfer-beam; the buffer-plate located in,front of the bufferbeam and supported upon two rods extending in rear ofsaid beam; and the equalizing and automatic return mechanism located inthe space between the end sill and buffer-beam, above the brace-plate,substantially as described.

13. In a platform equipment such as def scribed, the combination of thefollowing ele- 3L draft-rigging secured beneath said beams;

and the buffer-rigging mounted upon and above said supporting-beams inline with the sills of the car-body; substantially as described.

15. In combination with the beams supporting the platform and thebutter-beam; the buffer-plate; the rods supporting the buffer-plate; theequalizing-bar supported at the ends in ways on the beams; the head towhich the equalizing-bar is pivoted; the spring engaging said head inrear of the pivot; the plunger engaging the equalizing-bar in front ofits pivot and extending through the bufferbeam with its outer end incontact with the buffer-plate; the spring engaging the plunger to holdit in forcible contact with the equalizing-bar; and the co upler securedin position upon the supporting-beams and extending longitudinallythereof in the same vertical plane with the plunger and pivot of theequalizing-bar; substantially as described.

HENRY H. SESSIONS.

Witnesses:

H. M. PFLAGER, H. U. MORTON.

